Don’t overpay or fall victim to this scam!
This particular scam has been around for a long time, but recently I have noticed a significant uptick in activity.
If you are the owner of a domain name registered to your organization, you will likely at some point receive an unsolicted email from someone or some entity claiming to represent another organization in Asia that wishes to register the Chinese equivalent of your domain name.
Let’s say the name of your company is ”ABC Marketing” and you own the domain name “abcmarketing com”. You may at some point receive an email that resembles one of these:
Dear CEO,
We are the domain name registration organization in Asia, which mainly deal with international company’s in Asia. We have something important need to confirm with your company.
On the Jan 11, 2008, we received an application formally. One company named “Viva International Holdings Ltd” wanted to register following
Domain names:
abcmarketing.cn
abcmarketing.com.cn
abcmarketing.net.cn
abcmarketing.org.cn
Internet brand keyword:
abcmarketing
through our body.
After our initial examination, we found that the keywords and domain names applied for registration are as same as your company’s name and trademark. These days we are dealing with it. If you do not know this company, we doubt that they have other aims to buy these domain names. Now we have not finished the registration of Viva company yet, in order to deal with this issue better, Please contact us by telephone or email as soon as possible.
Best Regards,
Lance Chen
________________________________________
Asia Domain Name Registration Limited
Tel:+(00852)-3059-3057
Fax:+(00852)-3059-3080
Email: lance.chen@domaininasia.org
Or perhaps this variation:
Dear Manager,
We are China Net Technology Limited,which is the domain name register center in China.I have something need to confirm with you.we have received an application formally,one company named “LEALU Holdings Limited” applies for the domain names(abcmarketing.cn abcmarketing.com.cn abcmarketing.hk abcmarketing.com.tw etc.) and the internet Brand Name(abcmarketing)on the internet Mar 6, 2008. We need to know the opinion of your company, because the domain names and keywords may relate to the usufruct of brand name on internet.
we would like to get the affirmation of your company,please contact us by telephone or email as soon as possible. Please let someone in your company who is responsible for trademark or intellectual right contact me freely.
Best Regards,
Rodney Gong
Sponsoring Registrar:
China Net Technology Limited.
Tel:+(852)3075 9838 +852-3059 3099
Fax:+(852)3177 1520 +852-3177 1510
Email: rodney.gong@china-net.hk
Website: www.china-net.hk
If you receive an email like these (and there are many variations), run — don’t walk — to the nearest exit! Hit the “Delete” key and do not respond to the email! This is nothing but a scam.
If you do, in fact, respond to these solicitations, the sender knows that he’s got a fish on the line. He quickly registers all of the foreign variations of your domain name to himself, and then begins to “negotiate” with you for their release.
The fact is, that if you really want the Chinese (.cn) version of your domain name (or any other version of your domain name), these are freely available and can be easily registered for nothing more than the registration fee. The scammers will hold you hostage for thousands of dollars to release to you what would otherwise cost you about 40 bucks to register without their “assistance”. And that’s if they’re honest; they may never release the domain name to you once you’ve shown your hand and let them know you’re interested in it.
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